EQUINOX highlights and some blemishes

[peterm]

We enjoyed very much our Western Caribbean cruise on Equinox and would like to share our experience:

Ship: Equinox is beautiful, clean, never a crowded feeling (except MRD), with a friendly crew and great service.

MDR: food has improved and is very good, usual choices, atmosphere loud and hectic (especially in select dining area).

Ocean View café: Breakfast “hot” food was often cold (Scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes etc.). Perfect place for a casual and quiet dinner with dimmed lights. Food is good, large and improved selection.

Murano: While MDR offer has improved, Murano is no longer worth the $ 80 surcharge per couple. It still has a quiet and nice atmosphere, but food quality and reduced choices are no longer better than in the MDR. Some exclusive items like escargots, sweetbread, foie gras etc. are no longer available and the side dishes are hard to find on the plates. Meat and fish were excellent on both evenings.

Select dining: We like this option, but Celebrity must increase the size and personnel for this area. Now they use the tables three times. The waiters running back and forth create a hectic atmosphere. The only way to get a table for two in a quieter spot (near railing or windows) was to be put on a waitlist with the accommodating hostess for 7:00pm or after 8:00pm.

Pool: Even on sea days always chairs available. We saw men with glass beer bottles in the deep pool for over an hour and very often babies with diapers in the middle pool – no security?

Entertainment: Cirque du Soleil and Piano Man Craig Dan were great, other evening entertainers only fair: The female singer had a loud voice and tried to impersonate some stars. Two male entertainers were on an amateur level (Making a lot of self-advertising by video clips). One even produced his little children several times on stage.

Music: Good surprise! With one exception (DJ Cool poolside) music choice and volume was fine all over the ship. Maybe they should move the party band from the too small foyer to the Sky lounge.

Highlights: Our absolute highlights were the land excursions – all privately organized. We strolled around the old city of Cartagena, visited with Anne Gordon the authentic Embera Puru village in Colon, learned a lot on our “Limon Highlights” tour in Costa Rica, enjoyed a birthday on the private Little French Key (Roatan) and had fun with a bar hop on the east coast of Cozumel.

This was one of our best cruises – a wonderful ship with a great crew and once in a lifetime excursions. Thank you Celebrity – we will be back!

[d4m]

Thanks for taking the time to post a review. We love Equinox!

[Alg63]

Each to his own. I found Murano to be outstanding, ate there 3x times during our recent Equinox cruise and the staff wnt above and beyond on a special cc assign inner for 10to the point that i actually cried when i thanked the maitre d'

 

In addition, we did not have any issues with select dining or seating, and our party ranged anywhere from 2-12 in size when we ate in MDR.